samantha in the press

Yarra Ranges Council asks public to comment on plans for dog off-lead areas and cat curfew 
Free Press Leader
by Therese Allaoui
18 Nov 2013

Pet rules face review
Mail Newspapers
by Kath Gannaway
18 Nov 2013

samantha in the press

Yarra Ranges Councillor Samantha Dunn keen to see cat curfew continue
Leader Newspapers
by Kimberley Seedy
7 Aug 2013

Splashes of real joy for new pool
Mail Newspapers
by Rebecca
7 Aug 2013

samantha in the press

Pool fills with excitement
Leader Newspapers
30 Jul 2013

 

Cat curfew views sought

Leader Newspapers

by Kimberley Seedy

30 Jul 2013

 

 

cool for cats

Report from the roundtable - 9th June

Late last year council adopted the Domestic Animal Management Plan. The purpose of the plan is to increase the profile and importance of domestic animal management at a local level. One of the key actions from the plan was to make mandatory the compulsory desexing of cats.

I was happy to move a motion to formalise the compulsory desexing of cats.

This is me with our much beloved family pet. He's desexed, chipped, registered and always kept in at night per the Yarra Ranges cat curfew.

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I am sure that responsible cat owners would be more than happy to desex their animals. Feral animals, particularly cats, are a huge problem in the Dandenong Ranges. Cats are excellent predators and the wildlife losses are immense due to feral cat activity.

The statistics for unwanted cats are astounding, in 2006 53,000 cats were lodged with animal welfare centres across Australia with 35,000 of them being euthanised. That’s an awful lot of unwanted cats out there.

Anything we can do to try to stop unwanted animals is a positive move, anything that helps the feral cat population to decline is a positive move. It’s good for cats and it’s good for our wildlife too.

I’m pleased to report that the motion was supported unanimously by councillors.

keep the cat in

I am often travelling in and around the Shire at night time and am amazed at the number of domestic cats I see out roaming about at night. Cats that are allowed to wander at night are often responsible for killing wildlife or can end up being injured in fights or by passing traffic.

I am not sure whether cat owners are aware of the cat curfew in Yarra Ranges. The shire’s cat curfew requires all cat owners to keep their pet inside or in an escape proof enclosure between the hours of 8pm and 6am, or 9pm and 6am during daylight savings time.


Help our native animals, don't let your cat wander at night.

It was introduced to help protect native wildlife including possums and birds from being attacked or killed by cats. If you're a cat owner please make sure you do the right thing and keep your cats inside or in an enclosure overnight.

Keeping cats inside or enclosed overnight will also help to protect your pet from being attacked by other cats or dogs or being injured and will save you costly Vet bills to fix your beloved moggy.

As well as protecting native wildlife, the cat curfew also helps to prevent unwanted breeding among non-sterilised cats.

If you'd like to know more about the cat curfew contact Local Laws on 1300 368 333 or visit the Shire’s website www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au and search under the Local Laws section.